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STORY

The Prime Minister has spoken to Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, about the continuing conflict in the Middle East. During the call, the Prime Minister condemned Iranian attacks on Bahrain and offered continuing United Kingdom support.

The two leaders discussed the regional security situation and the relationship between their countries. The Prime Minister reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to the UK-Bahrain Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement.

Downing Street said the call formed part of the Government’s continuing diplomatic contacts with states affected by the conflict. No new military or financial commitment was announced in the published account of the discussion.

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The Government has announced new technical education pathways intended to give pupils from the age of 14 earlier access to practical skills, work experience and links with local employers. The Prime Minister said the reforms would place greater value on vocational and technical achievement.

The pathways are expected to involve schools, colleges and businesses, with courses connected to employment sectors and local skills needs. Ministers said the programme would provide an alternative route alongside traditional academic study without closing off later education options.

Further information will be published on participating institutions, qualifications and the timetable for rollout. The Department for Education will work with employers and education providers on the detailed design of the new routes.

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The Local Government Association has welcomed the Government’s announcement of new fiscal and spending powers for mayors. The organisation said greater financial devolution could give local areas more control over investment and public services.

LGA chair Councillor Eamonn O’Brien described the announcement as a positive step towards the greater fiscal devolution sought by councils. The association said locally controlled funding can allow decisions to reflect regional economic conditions and community priorities.

The LGA said it would examine the detailed arrangements, including how revenues are calculated and how non-mayoral areas are treated. It also called for councils and combined authorities to be involved in designing the new system.

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Seven areas of England have been formally placed in drought status after record low rainfall and exceptionally high temperatures. The Environment Agency said the declarations mean that half of England is now officially experiencing drought conditions.

Officials reported pressure on river flows, reservoirs, agriculture and the natural environment, alongside an increasing risk of wildfires. Water companies and regulators are monitoring supplies and may introduce additional measures where local conditions require them.

The Government urged households and businesses to use water carefully while drought plans are implemented. The Environment Agency said it would continue to assess rainfall, groundwater and reservoir levels before deciding whether further areas should be added.

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The Council of the European Union has imposed sanctions on seven people and three organisations over serious human rights violations connected with scam centres in Southeast Asia. The measures were adopted under the EU’s global human rights sanctions regime.

The Council said the listed individuals and entities were associated with centres in which trafficked people were forced to carry out online fraud. The sanctions include asset freezes and restrictions on making funds or economic resources available to those listed.

The measures also include travel restrictions for the named individuals. The Council said the decision formed part of the EU’s response to human trafficking, forced labour and organised online fraud operations.

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The Government has delayed its decision on local government reorganisation in West Sussex, with a final announcement now expected in October 2026. Councils had previously expected ministers to decide between the locally submitted options during July.

West Sussex County Council said the Government had chosen to consult further on a modified version of a two unitary authority proposal. The change means local authorities will continue preparing for reorganisation while awaiting confirmation of the boundaries and structure that ministers intend to adopt.

The overall timetable is currently unchanged. Elections to shadow unitary authorities are expected in May 2027, with the new councils due to begin operating formally in April 2028.

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The Government has announced an £8.4 billion investment to advance the next phase of the United Kingdom’s next generation nuclear deterrent submarine programme. Ministers said the funding would support national security while providing work for British industry and its supply chain.

The investment will be used to progress construction and associated development work on the submarines that will eventually replace the Vanguard class. The Ministry of Defence said the programme is intended to maintain the United Kingdom’s continuous at sea deterrent for the decades ahead.

The Government said the programme would sustain specialist engineering, manufacturing and shipbuilding employment in several parts of the country. Expenditure will remain subject to the programme’s existing oversight, procurement and parliamentary accountability arrangements.

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A man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to 25 child sexual abuse offences. The offences included the rape of a girl in the United Kingdom and arranging the livestreaming of abuse involving a girl in the Philippines.

The investigation involved officers working across national and international boundaries to identify the victims and secure evidence. The court also imposed an extended licence period of eight years, meaning the offender will remain subject to supervision after his release from custody.

Police said the sentence reflected the scale and seriousness of the offending. Officers also acknowledged the victims and the agencies involved in tracing the online activity and bringing the prosecution.

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The Prime Minister has announced plans to give mayors a share of income tax revenues as part of what the Government described as the largest transfer of power from Westminster in a generation. The proposal is intended to give regional leaders greater control over spending decisions affecting jobs, transport, housing and public services.

Under the plans, mayoral authorities would receive new fiscal powers alongside existing devolved budgets. The Government said the arrangements would allow areas to retain a direct financial interest in economic growth and use additional resources according to local priorities.

Further details will be required on the size of the income tax share, the distribution formula and the timetable for implementation. Ministers said the policy would be developed with mayors and local authorities before the new arrangements take effect.

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A former Dorset Police officer has been jailed after admitting misconduct in public office arising from an inappropriate sexual relationship with a vulnerable domestic abuse victim. James McClements pleaded guilty in April and was sentenced following a prosecution brought by the Crown Prosecution Service.

The court heard that McClements met the woman while attending an incident in his professional capacity. Prosecutors said he subsequently abused the trust placed in him as an officer and developed a relationship with someone he knew to be vulnerable.

The Crown Prosecution Service said the case demonstrated the seriousness with which abuses of police authority are treated. Dorset Police had previously investigated the conduct and referred the evidence for a charging decision.